Early in the 1930's, Olympic Park going
"full blast ". Joe Basile was the band leader. The swimming
pool was one of the largest, anywhere. Not many? owned bathing suits
in those days. As part of the admission we rented a one piece bathing
suit with the letters OCC? printed on the front. To get from the
"lockers" into the pool area you had to walk through a
shower and step into a pool of some sort of "feet cleanser".
Never did know what that was.
My story: to get there I took an OPEN TROLLEY larger than but
like the S/F cable cars. You could "board" on one side
and slide clear across to the other side {sides wide open}. At the
park, the "motorman" took his control handle equipment
from front to back and away we rode (or the entire car was turned
on a turntable like San Francisco??). When getting off the trolley,
we all recognized the "riders". We all had distinct marks
on our knees from kneeling on the seats that were covered with a
textured material which left the "criss/cross" mark on
your knees.
Finally, I once spent my last nickel for a hot dog. On the way
home, I hitched a ride on the back of the car. Somewhere down the
line, I fell off and someone yelled for the driver to stop. I ran
away, because to get hurt and get caught, I would still be "grounded
" 70 years later. I promise not to do it again and I will save
that nickel for "carfare".
The park also had a dancehall, a great roller coaster, a "Bump
a Car", plenty of places to throw rings at prizes, cotton candy
and the best of all, "Hit the Bell with the Hammer" (could
hardly lift it). There was also the "expert" weight guesser
and basketball "throws". Hit the ring with a ball and
watch the clown get dunked. Knock over the "milk bottles and
"shoot down the ducks and also bet on the racing ponies .
"That's all folks" !
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